PTI Gets, Like Totally, Pwned

I was never very fond of former DawnNews morning show and current TVOne anchor Faisal Qureshi - he currently hosts the show Bang-e-Dara on the latter. For some reason his style of speaking seemed a bit too smarmy for my tastes, which I realize is purely a subjective, personal reaction. But I have to admit I have a new-found respect for him now. Heck, he's my new television hero.

Watch him take down Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf's Dr Awab Alvi after the PTI jalsa in Karachi on December 25. I think this is what the word 'merciless' was originally coined for. And the best thing is, Qureshi does it with simple substantiated facts and no recourse to grand sweeps of emotive logic (yes, those critiquing PTI are also prone to it as much as PTI supporters). By the end Dr Alvi is forced to concede that he never wants to match wits with Qureshi again. A must watch!

How Much Money Has Your Channel Raised Today? (Updated)

A little (well connected) birdie told us something quite astounding.

Apparently a very well known businessman in Karachi received a call from a TV channel asking him to pledge a donation for flood relief during the channel's live telethon to raise funds. The gentleman demurred, saying that he had already given all that he had planned to give (and he has given quite a bit). In response, he was told to go ahead and pledge something anyway even if he was not going to give it. When the gentleman expressed incredulity at how this would work, he was told the channel would not hold him to his word. Under such 'assurances' that he would not actually have to pay up, the man pledged 500,000 rupees on live television.

It sure made for exciting television and a feel good time for all, except of course for those in actual need. Shocking and sad but kind of like all those international pledges that never materialize. Is anyone keeping tabs?

In case you're wondering, it was NOT Geo.


::: UPDATE :::

I have been pondering quite a bit since this morning about reader sabizak's rather spirited response to this post and came to the conclusion that she is absolutely right: I should have named the channel. In my defence, the only reason I omitted the name was 1) out of a journalistic instinct against potentially libelous claims, even though I admit that it would be difficult to prosecute us (as opposed to blocking us via court order ala Facebook) and 2) to protect our source. Being a blog does not absolve us of basic journalistic ethics, contrary to what sabizak implies later on, and we have always at least attempted to uphold such ideas in their spirit.

But I think she was essentially right because 1) if someone is being unscrupulous, they should be named 2) and even if our claims are challenged, they can only lead to the pledges made good on, if only out of embarrassment, which is ultimately to the flood affectees' benefit. A third reason, which arises from looking at the other comments is the speculation that resulted which tarnishes even non-dodgy efforts to raise funds.

So, yes, the channel was ARY. Kudos to those who guessed it / figured it out.

Meanwhile, another reader sidrat_a has told us (via Twitter) of a landowner friend who has not been affected by the floods but who is sheltering flood affectees from neighbouring villages on his land being approached by TV One to set up tents on his land. According to her, when he pointed out that he had adequate shelter to house the people on his lands, TV One refused to hand over food for the affectees as well unless they could set up their own tent city. Anything to get your logo out there.

Wanker of the Week

I have been meaning to do a proper post about the Kerry-Lugar bill and the nauseating media frenzy that's been whipped up about it, for a few days now, but just haven't found the time. I will, I will, I promise.

But in the meantime, I came across this bit of supreme wanking from Pakistani electronic media's Wanker-in-Chief, Zaid Hamid, and just had to share it. I mean, LOOK at this guy - red beret, photographer's jacket, scraggly beard - this guy must really think he's Pakistan's loony answer to Che or something.



But you have to have a strong stomach - or the absolute cluelessness of an Ali Azmat or whoever that bimbo is who's 'interviewing' him here on TV One - to listen to him. He begins by fabricating complete fiction about the bill - among his contentions is that the bill's wording includes that "those who love Pakistan should be removed from Pakistan's intelligence agencies." I mean, really?

He then goes on to call Pakistan's ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, "Israel's ambassador", "Mir Jaafar", "Mir Sadiq", "beysharam" and "bayhaya". Ok, so I'm no fan of Haqqani, not by a long stretch, but hearing this from this lunatic, I almost feel inclined to support him. But Hussain Haqqani is only one of the targets. Others are the PML(N) - also "baysharam" - and the Awami National Party - which is warned to 'straighten itself out' ("hosh mein aa jayein") and 'stop operating at the behest of the CIA' or 'get a clobbering greater than what it has already endured from the Taliban' ("jo maar parri hai woh thorri hai"). Blackwater personnel, meanwhile, are apparently going to find themselves hanging from the trees very soon.

But my favourite bit is where he goes off about how "we, the patriotic people, are controlling things" and how the government's days are numbered. I personally think this madman's 'we' may simply be usage of the royal pronoun but, on the other hand, he may be letting slip who his backers are too. You might get further clues from who he thinks is the most patriotic organization in Pakistan...

The Wanker Guerrilla growls: "We are warning them, we are warning this government and the Americans... We will consider them traitors... It's a clear warning. Wake up!"

Which of course begs the question: who the F*** are you?!!